Outdoor 5G electronics needed weather protection without trapping the heat generated inside a sealed enclosure.
Mechanical R&DThermal DesignDesign for Manufacturing
Project 03 / Product Development
Vented 5G Radome Development
A modular enclosure concept designed to protect outdoor telecom equipment while enabling passive airflow, RF transmission, adaptable mounting, and practical fabrication.
119°FModeled max baseplate
131°FOperating limit
12°FThermal margin
ModularStackable architecture
01 / Design problem
Protect the equipment. Let the heat escape.
Conventional sealed radomes protect antennas and radios from wind, rain, and debris, but the enclosure can retain heat and shorten component life. The design brief required a passive ventilation strategy without giving up structural protection or signal transparency.
The product also had to scale for different equipment packages, mount to existing pole infrastructure, and translate from CAD into repeatable fabrication and assembly.
02 / Engineering challenge + impact
The project in STAR form.
Develop a scalable radome concept that balanced airflow, RF transparency, environmental protection, pole compatibility, and fabrication constraints.
Owned the mechanical design process through CAD iteration, modular interfaces, vent placement, material selection, DFM/DFA, and thermal-analysis review.
The modeled worst-case baseplate temperature reached 119°F—12°F below the 131°F limit—while the architecture remained modular and manufacturer-oriented.
My contribution
Own the design path.
I owned most of the mechanical development from early concepts through CAD, simulation support, material selection, and DFM/DFA. I prepared the design for manufacturing review and supported the build process, while participating only in a limited portion of physical assembly.
This public case study intentionally excludes proprietary drawings, client-specific dimensions, material formulations, and unapproved manufacturing documentation.
03 / Mechanical architecture
One enclosure. Four linked design decisions.
The concept separates functions: a steel internal structure carries load, an FRP shell provides lightweight environmental protection and RF transparency, screened openings manage airflow, and an adjustable clamp interfaces with the installation pole.
airflow
Passive ventilation
Circumferential upper and lower openings create an intake-to-exhaust path while mesh helps limit debris ingress.
Modular stacking
Repeatable structural interfaces allow the enclosure height to scale without redesigning the full product architecture.
Adaptable mounting
An adjustable lower clamp accommodates multiple existing pole diameters and simplifies site integration.
RF-transparent skin
A lightweight FRP exterior provides weather protection while minimizing interference with enclosed antenna signals.
04 / Thermal analysis
Test the passive concept against a harsh boundary case.
A steady-state three-dimensional FEA/CFD study evaluated heat transfer and airflow under high ambient temperature, strong solar loading, and little to no wind. The purpose was to test whether passive venting could keep internal equipment below its modeled operating threshold.
119°F modeled131°F limit
Hot-weather external boundary condition
Industry-referenced exposure input
Conservative low-convection case
Below the 131°F equipment limit
05 / Manufacturability
Design the interfaces, not only the shape.
Separate load and enclosure functions
A metal internal frame carries structural loads while bolted FRP panels create a replaceable protective exterior.
Repeat hardware and access patterns
Repeated tabs and mechanical fasteners support consistent fabrication, service access, and panel replacement.
Scale through modules
Stackable sections turn one core architecture into multiple heights, simplifying future variants, transport, and inventory.
06 / Engineering impact
Thermal performance became a product decision.
12°F modeled margin
The hottest reported baseplate remained below the 131°F threshold in the conservative study condition.
Modular by design
Stackable sections and an adaptable clamp support deployment across multiple equipment and pole configurations.
Built around repeatability
Separated frame, shell, and attachment functions give fabrication and service teams clear interfaces.
07 / Future iterations
Move from modeled margin to instrumented validation.
Physical verification
Instrument a prototype with internal thermocouples and airflow measurements, then compare field and chamber data with the steady-state thermal model.
Design refinement
Quantify vent pressure drop and debris protection, evaluate wind-driven rain, and use test results to refine opening area, mesh selection, fastener access, and assembly time.